Have been really blessed in my Nursing career since graduation in 1975 from Nursing School. Immediately started working at The Methodist Hospital in Houston,Texas in the Operating Room Suite. Was Manager over a 6 room OR Suite from 1977-1994. Became a Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Nurse Specialist in 1976. Worked at TMH for 20 years and "retired from the OR" (or so I thought) to go to KY to take care of my parents. Following the death of my last parent in 2003, I did some travel nursing in Surgery out in Sacramento, CA, and eventually moved there and was Director of Surgery at a Sutter facility in Sacramento for several years. My husband started having health problems (he is 15 years older than me), so I came back to KY and worked as Director of Surgery at a hospital in Bowling Green KY, and have now relocated to Paducah, KY. We have a farm in south central KY where my parents and grandparents lived. My husband goes back and forth between the farm and Paducah.
I had wonderful opportunities to pack an entire operating room suite and travel around the world to give surgical care to VIPs through my connection with our Chief of Staff at Methodist Hospital. I also helped to establish an Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) Nurses Organization, so I have been blessed in traveling much in the US as I presented at programs.
I am well known for my cooking skills, and would eventually like to get out of health care and purchase a store in the area where our farm is. There are only about 500 people in that area, but it is well known for fishing and hunting. It is the kind of place where if you want to go fishing instead of having the store open, you just put a sign out front saying "Gone Fishing" and when you return and open the store, people will gather. (Pretty laid back as compared to healthcare!) I was quite proud of getting my BSN in 2007 (at the ripe old age of 53). Considered the Masters Degree, but do not anticipate working in healthcare long enough to justify the expense. One of the most exciting times of my career was to be published in the national nursing textbooks and national nursing organization publications. Have been very busy and active, so when do we get to rest and relax?